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(N6 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

D. J. POWERS.

"FOLDING BED.

No. 276,464. I Patented Apr. 24,1883.

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(No Medal.) v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

D. J; POWERS.

Patented Apr. 24, 1883.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

DAVID J. POWERS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TOTHE UNION \IVIREMATTRESS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

FOLDING BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,464, dated April24, 1883. Application tiled March 5,1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

I must be attached very nearly in line with the Be it known that 1',DAVID J. PowERs, a hinges of the rails, but a little above them, so

citizen of theUnited States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements inFolding Beds, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in folding beds; and itconsistsffirst, in an adaptation to the head and foot ends of the bed ofconnecting side rails that fold upward from their middle, and an elasticmetallic fabric arranged and operatingas hereinafter described; second,in such a combination of side rails, cross-rails, and fabric arranged toopen and close easily, as described; third, in a peculiarly-appliedside-rail clamp and top rail for the case; fourth, in an automatichead-board;

fifth, in an adaptation of a central cross-rail, so as to affordincreased room for the beddingwhen the same is folded.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side view of my bed when unfolded, readyfor use, with dotted lines showingthe position of the fabric and beddingunder certain conditions, also of the side rails, Fig. 2 is alongitudinal central section of same. Fig. 3 shows the bed closed. Fig.at is a transverse sectional view on linef. Fig. 5 is a section showingthe clamp and siderail joint. Fig. 6 is a section showing the manner ofattaching rail D to the side rails, also a modification of therail-joint.

A is the head end of the bed, and B .is the foot end, made as shown, orin any form desired.

O O are the side rails, pivoted at a a to the head and foot ends, saidside rails being divided and hinged at or near their middle, so thatthey will fold upward from their middlerule fash'ion -edgewise, butnotdownward m aterially below a horizontal, said rails and ends being soadapted to each other that they will entirely inclose the sides of thecase when the bed is folded.

To the side rails, at their outer ends, are secured cross-rails-D D, towhich are attached the opposite ends of an elastic metallic fabric ofwoven-wire coils, G, or of other equivalent character. This fabric is ofa proper length to secure the right tension for a bed-bottom when theside rails are fully extended. The fabric joint of the rails forstretchin as to give the utmost purchase to the elbowably for use, andalso so as to more easily admit of the unlockingof the rails upward whenthe bed is to be folded.

A center cross-rail, D, is secured to the side g the fabric suitrails atthejoint and underneath the fabric by means of four pivoted clips, b b bb, one being attached to each section of the side rails at such adistance back from the hinges as to cause the rail D, to which the otherends of the clips are attached, (two to each end,) to 00- cupy adiiferent relative position when the bed is unfolded, and vice versawhen folded. Upon the toprail, D, may be secured a series of elasticcoil or other springs, I, so placed as to support the fabric when thebedis unfolded,

as shown in Fig. 1.

The object of thus pivoting rail D to the side rails back from thehinges is to cause it to drop lower down when the bed is folded togetherwith the fabric, so as to leave more 7 space near the top of the casefor the bedding between the fabric and cover F, which is hinged to thehead end of the case, near its top, and adapted to fully cover and closeup the top of the bed-casewhen folded, and to So swing down out of theway when the bed is unfolded.

An important function of rail D is the supporting of the metallic fabricand bedding above the horizontal line of the side rail at- 8 tachment tothe ends, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and thus contributingtheir weight to aid in closing down the side rails, and stretching thefabric sufficiently tight for a bed-bottom. Without this supportingcross- 0 rail the fabric and bedding when slackened would fall to thepoint below the horizontal, the reverse of what is indicated by thedotted linesin Fig. 1, and thus require to belifted to a straight linewhen closing down the side 5 rails, and instead of aiding materiallyhindering the said closing, and this difference of helping orhinderiugis found sufficient to render the one means a success and theother a failure in practice, for the reason that such I00 beds areusually handled by women, who, as a rule, are not very strong; but withthe elevated fabric and bedding H to help, a woman can close down therails and extend the fabric with ease, while without rail D and with thefabric and bedding hanging below, an ordinarily stout man can hardly doit. Thus with rail D as applied the bed is practical, and without it itis not. The stretching of the fabric is also largely aided by the firmsupport of the hinged rails at both ends, as shown in my bed, ascompared with the older bed structures, which usually fold outward fromthe wall upon a single head-end support, and have the bedding and fabricnot only to stretch, but to lift up first to the stretching-line.

My double end support for the side rails and central elevated supportfor the fabric and bedding when about 'to be stretched-are of vitalimportance in a bed in which the fabric is to be stretched as often asused, and, withal,

needs to be sufficiently stretched to make a.

good bottom fora bed.

The clasp-rails O are of about the same width as the side rails, and theright length to fill the space between the upright standards of the headand foot ends of the closed bed against which they abut, thus making aproper top rail for the ends of the case when the bed is folded, and asupporting-clasp and cover for the joints of the side rails when the bedis unfolded. They may be wrought in any style preferred. They aresecured in posit-ion parallel to the rails unfolded, one screw in eachsection of the rail at an equal distance from the joint, the attachmentbeing so adapted as to cause the clasp-rail to at all times preserve ahorizontal position. Fig. 6 shows a modification of rail-hinge.

In the back of the head end of the bed from about the middle upward Ihave an opening for ventilation when the case is closed, and to thisopening I adapt a head-board, J, to slide automatically in grooves orotherwise, and

connected at its ends with the outer ends of the side or end rails, sothat when the rails are folded and the bed closed the head-board iswithdrawn from the opening, so as to leave free ventilation, and so thatwhen the bed is opened and extended for use the head-board closes theopening, and thus makes a continuous wall to the head of the bed, theadvantages of which are obvious.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is as follows 1. In a folding bed adapted tohave its elastic bottom stretched by the elbow-leverage of the siderails, the combination, with jointed side rails that fold upward attheir middle, of cross end rails having an elastic metal fabric attachedendwise to each, and base-supports at each end of the rails,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. A folding bed with side rails that fold upward at their middle, andwith an elastic fabric applied as specified, in combination with rail D,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. In a folding bed with jointed side rails that fold upward at theirmiddle, the combination, with said rails, of the clasp-rails O',substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. The head-board arranged to move automatically, in combination withthe sides and head end of the bed, as and for the purpose specified.

5. The cross-rail D, adapted to fall out of the way to make more roomfor the bedding when the bed is folded, arranged substantially asdescribed.

DAVID J. POWERS.

Witnesses:

FRANK A. PowERs, WILLIAM HENDLEY.

